Adjustable vessel holder for field ranges



Feb. 12, 1946. G. P. WELLS I ADJUSTABLE VESSEL HOLDER FOR FIELD RANGES Filed Oct. 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0000 oo0o."Q,

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Feb. 12, 1946 G. P. WELLS 2,394,574

ADJUSTABLE VESSEL HOLDER FOR FIELD RANGES Fili-:jd Oct. 19. 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet E INVETOR. Geore VZZJ' BY 6ft-QA M2M) ATTORNEY Patented Feb. l2, 1946 ADJUSTABLE VESSEL HOLDER FOR FIELD l RANGES George P. Wells, United States Army, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 19, 1944, Serial No. 559,430

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 12 Claims.

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me, of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to means for holding pots, pans, or other cooking vessels on the tops of stoves, and more particularly to a new and improved stopping means for use on mobile field ranges of the type used in the Army to prevent lateral shifting of the vessels when the stove is jostled about while it is being transported.

Various type of ranges are being used by the Army in its mobile eld kitchens. Some of these ranges have nat tops upon which the pots, pans, or other cooking vessels are placed when being heated. It has been the practice to lash these vessels to the tops of the ranges with ropes or straps tied to the side rails of the range to prevent shifting or upsetting of the vessels when the trip is rough. This has been an unsatisfactory expedient because even though the lash ropes are tightly secured, the bottoms of the pots, pans, or other vessels are free to move laterally. As a result they may not be centered directly over the source of heat, and they may even move sufciently to work loose from the lashings and up-l set. It is a principal Object of my invention to provide a new and improved means for securing a cooking vessel on the top of a range to prevent -lateral movement of the bottom of the vessel, no

matter how much the range is jostled about.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for securing pots,

pans, or other cooking vessels on the top of a mobile eld range which is adjustable to secure vessels of various sizes and shapes.

Another object or the invention is to provide new and improved means for securing pots, pans, or other cooking vessels on the top of a mobile eld range which may be readily moved to operative or inoperative position by an operating handle provided for that purpose at the front of the range.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for securing pots, pans, or other cooking vessels on the top of a mobile field range which may be adjusted to inoperative position, and which in that position is entirely clear of the top of the range, and does not interfere with the placing or movement of vessels on the range.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for securing pots, pans, or other vessels on the top of a field range which may be readily installed in the ranges of present manufacture. without radically changing the construction thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for securing the bottoms of pots, pans, or other cooking vessels on the tops of eld ranges which is simple in construction, easy to operate and inexpensive to manufacture, yet sufficiently durable to Withstand the rough usage to which such devices are likely to be subjected.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a eld range showing the manner of securing pots on the top of the range making use of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a range with my improved vessel-holding means installed thereon.

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the underside of a top plate of a range showing depending members in which the operating mechanism of my device is mounted.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a pair of cams and the bevel gear arrangement for operating the cams.

Fig. 6 is sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Fig.- 7 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of operating mechanism for the cams.

Fig. 8 is a partial section through the main bevel gear driving mechanism of the modification shown in Fig. '7.

Throughout the drawings like reference numbers indicate similar parts throughout the several views. In Fig. 1 I have shown diagrammatically a gas field range I0 of a type suitable for use in a mobile Army eld kitchen. Ranges of this type may also be used in the galleys of ships, and in such installations advantageous use can be made of my invention. When used in a mobile field kitchen the range is permanently mounted on a trailer or a truck upon which it is transported from place to place. It is apparent that on poor roads or when traveling crosscountry the range will be subject to constant jostling, and even on a good modern highway a range so mounted will be subject to considerable jostling while being transported. If the range is being used for cooking purposes while being transported, some means must be provided for preventing the pots, pans, or other vessels from sliding around on the top of the range. Heretofore, this has been accomplished by lash- Vheld centrally over the source of heat, and it is always possible that they may work free from the lashing and upset.

To overcome this disadvantage, I have provided my new and improved holding or stopping means for preventing shifting of theV bottom of a vessel. In the drawings my device is shown as adapted for use on a gas-burning field range, and the description will be limited to its application are rotated the pins 2| are reciprocated vertically. When the cams are in the position shown on the left of Figure 3, with the pins 2l restingon the low face of the cam, the toprends of the pins are flush with the top surface of the plate I 2, and vessels may be freely moved abouton the top of the range. When the ,camsj are rotated through an angle of 1 80 degrees from the first Y mentioned position so that their humped sides are to such a range, even though it is apparent that by slight modification it may be adapted for use on ranges burning other fuels. The range I shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a series of top plates I2, two being shown for illustrative purposes. These top plates are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the frame 'of the range I0, so that they mayV be'easily removed therefrom, and are provided with burner openings, those in the front being numbered I3, and those in the rear I4, Integral with the` plate I2 and extending radially inwardly toward the centerof the openings therein arev the arms I5, I 6, I1 and I8 which are formed in opposed pairs. Pots', pans, and other cooking vessels are supported on these arms while being heated. For supplying heat for cooking purposes a gaseous fuel burner I9 of known constructionis installed below each burner opening I3 and lwith its arms positioned below the openings inthe plate between the armsv I5, I6, I1 and I8. Y

l 'A series of apertures 20 are vspaced on the longitudinal center line of the arms I5, I6, I'I and I8, four apertures being shown in each arm. The corresponding apertures in the `diierent arms are located equi-distant from the center. of the burner openings I3 and I4, and are spaced to correspond to the diameter of the standard sized potsor pans used in the Army. Pins or stops 2l are freely received in the apertures 20, a single pin or stop being placed in each of the four arms. Ordinarily they are placed in correspondingfapertures in the arms, but they may be placed in noncorresponding apertures to accommodatey Vnoncircular'vessels or non-standard vessels. Pins 2I t loosely in apertures 2l) and are supportedby the structure shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 which will now be described.

For the sake of brevity, only the structure for one of the rear burners will be described, because a similar construction is used for the other burners Yin the range. For supporting the pins 2 I, elongated cams 22, 23, 24 and 25 are provided. These cams are rigidly/secured on'camshafts 26, 27,' 28 and 29 which rotate in bearings SI1- 30,

3I-3I, 32.--32 and 33- 33 formedin brackets 35S. on the'underside of thertop plate I2 and arms Gdepending'from the edges of the plate at points oppositely disposed to the Adepending arms of the brackets 34. The camshafts are supported in a horizontal plane by this means immediately below the line of apertures in the. armsy I5,V I 6, I7 and I8. When a pin 2| is placed in an aperture 2i) it drops until the bottom end seatsk upon the face of Ya cam. The cams are of generally elongatedoval Vshape in cross section, and are eccentrically mounted on the camshafts 25, 21, 28 and 253 as shown in Figure 5, so that .whenthecams vertical, the pins are supported in an elevated position with the top ends projecting above the top of the plate I2 as shown on the right in Figure 3. Y In this position the pins are adapted to bear against the sides of a vessel placed on the range as shown in Figure 1, thereby preventing the bottom of the vessel from shifting laterally on the range.

The mechanism for operating the cams 22, 23, 24,'and V2 5 consists of bevel gears 35, 37, 38 and 39 non-rotatably secured on the inner ends of 'camshafts 2S, 21, 28 and 29 respectively. Thesebevel Y gears mesh with the uppery beveled portion of va the shaft 52 double bevel gear 1W, secured von a vertical spindle shaft 4I, mounted in a post 42, projecting upwardly from the frame ofthe range below the center of the burner openings I3 and Ill.V Double bevel gear 40 is driven by a bevel gear 4 3 which meshes with the lower beveled portion of gear 4 0 and is non-rotatably secured on the inner end of a, longitudinally extending shaft 44, mounted in bearings Vl5 and 46, in the upwardlyprojecting ends of brackets Il?A and 48 which are secured to the frame of the range I0 by suitable means. The shaft 44 is'in the plane of the camshaft 26 and has a beveledgear 49 non-rotatably secured on its outer end. Beveled gear 49 is adapted to mesh with the rearmost of two beveled gears 50 and 5I non-'rotatably secured on a transversely extending operating shaft 52. Shaft 52 is journaled for rotary and reciprocatory movement in suitable `bearings 53 and 54, carried in the upwardly extending arms of a pair of U-shaped members 5,5v and 56 whichare secured by suitable means tothe Yframe of the range adjacent its front and rear ends. The otherbeveled gear 5|on shaft 52, is adapted to mesh with the vbevel gear 49 on theouter end of the shaftM of the operating unit associated with .the front burner of the range.

The beveled gearsl and 5I are so spaced on the shaft 52 that the mechanisms associated with' the front andrear burners may both be operated from the shaft independently of each` other. When. the shaft is pushed inwardly until; the gear 5D meshes with the gear 49 onthe outer end of shaft 44 associated with the rear burner mechanism, the forward-'gear 5I is disengaged from gear de on the shaft Mof the mechanism associated withthe front burner opening I3. If is pulled'out until the forwardgear 5I engages with the gear 49 yon the longitudinally extending shaft 44. associated with the front burner mechanism, then the gear 50;,.is disengaged from gear 49 `associated with the rear burner mechanism. Thus it will be seen that the mechanisms for raising andv lowering the l,pins of therfront and rear burners may be operated independently of each other from a single operating shaft. The operating shaft 52. extends through the front of the range and has Ya handle or small knob 51 secured onrits outerA end VVfor grasping when the shaft is to lne-operated?V `V The operationpf the device is as follows.' assuming thatfthe pinsA associatedwi'th the rear burner .are in a depressed .posi-tion and it is desired 'toraise them. 'The-handled! "is 'grasped,

and the operating shaft 52 is pushed inwardly until the gear 50 engages with the gear 49 on the shaft 44 associated with the rear burner mechanism. The operating shaft 52 is then rotated in either direction, thereby -rotating gear 50 and causing gear 49, shaft 44 and gear 43 to be rotated. Double bevel gear 40 is rotated by gear 43, and it drives the gears 36, 31, 38 and 39 on camshafts 26, 21, 28 and 29 which mesh with it, thereby causing all the cams to be rotated in synchronism. When the cams have been rotated sufciently to bring the humped portions of the cams into elevated position, all of the pins will be in elevated position projecting above the top surface of the plate and bearing against the sides of a vessel on the plate adjacent its bottom as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the pins securely hold the bottom of a vessel against lateral movement on the range. By rotating the operating handle further the cams are rotated to a position where the pins are allowed to drop, so that their upper ends are ush with the top of the plate as shown in the left half of Fig. 3. Thus it will be seen that I have provided means for raising and lowering the pins 2| in unison.

The mechanism associated with the front burner is operated in a similar manner, the operating shaft being pulled out until the gear thereon meshes with the gear 49 on the outer end of the shaft 44 associated with the front burner mechanism. A similar arrangement of parts is lprovided for each bank of front and rear burners in the range. To further secure vessels 35 to the range, they may be lashed to the side rails by lash ropes or straps 58 as shown in Fig. 1.

Each of the arms |5, I6, |1 and I8 in the plates I2 is provided with a plurality of apertures 29, so that the pins 2| may be manually moved as desired for increasing or decreasing the space between the pins to accommodate cooking vessels of various sizes and shapes. If a large vessel is to be placed on the range, the pins are placed in the outer apertures in each arm of the plate,`

and if the vessel is of small diameter, the pins are moved to apertures closer to the center of the burner opening.

In Figs. '7 and 8, is diagrammatically illustrated a modification of the invention of simplied construction. In place of gear 40, I have provided a driving gear 59 having a single beveled portion. Gear 59 is mounted on a vertical spindle shaft 4| suitably secured in a post 42 projecting upwardly from the frame of the stove below the center of a burner opening. A spur gear 69, mounted on spindle shaft 4|, is secured to the main driving gear 59, and is actuated bya rack 6| secured on a transversely extending operating rod 62. Rod 62 is mounted for reciprocatory movement in the upstanding ends of a pair of brackets 63 and 64 which are secured by suitable means to the frame of the range adjacent its front and rear ends. Rod 62 has a second rack 65 secured near its forward'end for operating the front burner mechanism. The forward end of the rod projects beyond the front of the range and has a handle or small knob 66 secured on its outer end for grasping by an operator.

The racks 6| and 65 are adapted to mesh with the spur gear 60 on the pot-holding mechanism associated with the rear and front burner respectively, for driving these mechanisms when the rod is pushed in or pulled out. When it is desired to raise or lower the pins 2| in the plate |2 associated with a rear burner opening |4, theA operating rodr 62 is pushed inwardly until the rack 6| engages with the spur gear 60 on the vertical spindle shaft 4|. Upon `further inward movement of the rod 62 the spur gear 60 is rotated, and with it the driving gear 59. Gear 59 drives the bevel gears 36, 31, 38 and 39 on the camshafts 26, 21, 28 and 29, thereby rotating the cams and raising or lowering the pins 2| as the case may be.

In a range using this modified form of my invention the front burner |3 in each bank of burners is provided with a mechanism similar to that just described for the rear burner. The modification of the invention just described has certain advantages over the modication first described. Double bevel gear 40, bevel gears 43, 49, 50 and 5| and shaft 44 are eliminated, and a rack 6| and spur gear 60 substituted to perform the same function.

For purposes of illustration, my invention has been more or less specifically described as applied to a mobile army field range. It will be obvious that it is adaptable for use on other types of stoves and ranges which are to be transported from place to place and may be subject to jostling during transportation, for example, the ranges used in railroad kitchen cars and the ranges used in the galleys of ships and aircraft. These, and other applications of the invention, making use of the principles disclosed herein, are intended to be included in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

l. Means for holding cooking vessels in position on a mobile field range having a top plate with burner openings therein and apertures associated with said openings comprising a plurality of stops spaced in vessel holding relation in said apertures, means for supporting said stops in said apertures, said means being adjustable between a position in which said stops are supported in elevated position projecting above the top surface of said plate and bearing against the sides of a vessel placed thereon for preventing lateral movement thereof, and a position in which said stops are flush with the top of said plate.

2. Means for preventing lateral shifting of cooking vessels on the top surface of a mobile field range having one or more heating plates and one or more sources of heat under each plate comprising one or more groups of spaced vessel-holding stops in each of said plates for securing one or more cooking vessels on said plates over the sources of heat, means individual to each of said groups for operating said stops, said means being adjustable between alternate positions for causing said stops to be moved into or out of operative vessel holding position, and means for operating said adjustable means, said means having independent elements and common elements cooperating with said independent elements to permit the vessel holding means in each group to be moved independently into or out of operative position.

3. Means for holding cooking vessels in position on the top of a mobile eld range comprising a top burner plate having a plurality of burner openings therein and a plurality of apertures spaced about said openings, a plurality of stops spaced in vessel holding relation in the apertures of said plate, means for supporting said stops in said apertures, said means being adjustable between alternate positions for moving said stops into andout or operative; vessel 'holding,q'msition; and means 'for operating Vsaid stop: `supportingmeans, said'` means. being adapted; to operate the supporting meansy for.' each burner; opening inde-` pendently of theY supportingmeans for `.the other" burner openings insaid. plate.. Y s i 4. Means for holdinf-.i a cooking vessel, inl position on a. mobile field range comprisingatop plate having burner openings and a' plurality of apentures therein, said apertures being locatedonzcenteri lines extending radially frein-the center of said burner openings, the corresponding aperturesV on said center lines beingY spaced equi-distant from the center' of said burner openings,. a plurality of' stops spaced' in Vessel holding relation in said apertures and projecting above'thetopA of said plate for bearing against the sides cfa vessel. on said plate 'to` prevent lateral movement-thereof, said' stops being manually adjustable tov various positions for accommodating vessels ofvarious. sizes and shapes. Y

5. Means for holding' a cooking vesselin posi-v tion on the top of a mobile field range comprising an apertured top plate, a plurality ofjstops adapt'- edto'be. receivedy in said aperturesv in spaced'. relation for engaging the sides ofY a cooking vessel on'v said' plate, a plurality of cams under saidY top plate,V said .cams being adapted toA support said stops alternately in raised position elevated above` the top'surface of said plate for coniiningY a cooking; vessel therebetween or in retracted position with said stops flush with. the` top ofk said plate, and' means eective to. operate said cams in synchronism for moving saidstops in. unison; into or out of vessel holding position. 6; A holder for use on. a. mobile field range for holding cooking vessels on the top of said range comprising a top plate having a plurality tures onsaid center linesbeing spaced eouiciistant from` the.u center of said burner openings,.a pluf. rality of stops spaced in vessel holdingl relation; in said: apertures andprojecting Vabove the top of. said plate for bearing against the sides of a vessel onsaidy plateitoprevent lateral movement thereon. said stops being: manually adjustable to various' positions for accommodating Yvessels of various. sizes and shapes, and means for support- 'ing saidv stops in elevated position projectingabove the top of said plate said. means being adjustable to permit lowering ofsaid stops to a y position flushwith the top of' said plate; i

of apertures therein,. a plurality of stopsv spaced invessel holding relation in said apertures, means` for supporting said stops in said apertures. said means being movable fromv a position inA which. said. stops project abo-ve the top surface of said plate `and Abear against the;V sides of a cooking, vessel placedv thereon to prevent lateral movementy thereof toa position in vvliichsaid stopsv areI ush with the top of said plate, said stops being adapted to be manually rearranged in saide apertures toV accommodate vessels of various crosssectionalA areas.

ZA Means for holding a cooking vesselzin-y position on a mobileA field range comprising; a top plate having a plurality of apertures therein ar, ranged in; groups,` the apertures in each group being radially and concentrically disposedga plu-f ralityi of stops spaced in vessel holdingrelation in said aperturesradially extendingmeans underr said top plate for supporting said stops, said` means being adaptedk tomove said stops intol and out of operative vessel holdin-g position.

8. Means for holding a cooking Vessel in` posiltion on a mobile eld range comprising at top plate having burner openings and' a pluralityV of apertures. therein, said apertures'y being located` on center lines` extending radiallyr from the center of said burner openings, the corresponding aper- 9'; Means for' preventing lateral shifting ofla 'cooking vessel on the topof a mobile ield. range comprising a plurality of. spaced vessel-engaging. stops, saidV stops` being adapted: to be: moved. between a. depressed positionV flush/with the top: of said range; andan elevated position projecting abovesaid. top-forl engaging the sidesv of a vessel on said range tor prevent lateral shifting thereof and stop-supporting means adjustable. between:r alternate positions for moving said; stops into and out of operative vessel-holding position.`

10. Means for preventing lateral shifting of' a cooking vessel on the top of a mobile eld range comprising a plurality of spaced:vessel-engaging stops',r said stops being adapted to be moved, be-

tween av depressed position iiush with the topof saidr range and an elevated position projecting above; said top for engaging thesides of a vessel ont said range toprevent lateral' shifting thereof,

stop-supporting meansadjustable between alternatepositions formovingsaid stops into and. out ofk operative Vessel-holdingy position and means for operating said stop-supporting means.

1L Means for preventing lateral shifting of, a

cooking vessel on theA top of a mobile ii'eld range comprising a: plurality of spaced vessel-'engaging stops, said stops being adaptedv to be movedy be.- tween a. depressed position flush. with the top. of said range and. an elevated Vposition projecting above4 saidrtop for engaging the sides of a Vessel on said' range to prevent laterali shifting rthereof v and being. manually adjustable to accommodate vessels of various sizes and shapes, and: stopsupporting means adjustable betvveenzalternate positions. for movingl said stopsk into andi out of operative'vessel-holding position. 's

12'. Meansv for preventing; lateral shifting; of a cooking vessel on the top*V of a mobile eld range comprising. a( plurality of. spaced vessel-engaging stops, said stopsrbeing adapted to:- bek moved between a depressed position ilush'withV the: top

- of said' range and an elevated position projecting above said top' for engaging theV sides. of a vessel on' saidY range to prevent lateral shifting thereof, said stops` also beingy manually adjustable to vary the space there-between for accommodating vessels of. Various sizes. and` shapes, stopsupporting means adjustable between alternate positionsl for moving said stops into and out of vessel-holding position, and means for operating said stop-supporting means.

GEORGE P. WELLS. 

